Sanjhi Sikhiya: Enabling learning for all in Punjab

Punjab, commonly known as the ‘land of prosperity’ is now a land of many evils. The state, once a front-runner in economic and social development is now struggling with grave issues like economic slowdown, the rise in unemployment, excessive migration, farmer suicides, substance abuse and a crumbling education system to name a few.

These problems collectively have formed a vicious circle due to which the growth and development of the state have come to a standstill.

This reality of Punjab and the dire need to regain its legacy has inspired a group of determined Punjabis, to come together and work on a collective vision of creating a Punjab, that symbolizes hope, optimism, prosperity and a strong value system.

Sanjhi Sikhiya meaning collective learning is a platform for all individuals, and initiatives to collaborate with the aim of finding sustainable solutions to the colossal yet solvable problems of Punjab.

The ‘WHY’ of Sanjhi Sikhiya was clear, but, for the longest time figuring the ‘HOW’ was a challenge. The team aimed to start by laying a solid foundation to achieve its larger vision. Mantra4Change came in at the right time and phase to provide Sanjhi Sikhiya direction by way of its flagship incubation programme – EduMentum.

Our ten-month long journey with EduMentum has been rich with strategic support, ace mentorship and significant resource sharing. This has immensely helped Sanjhi Sikhiya focus on its way forward by avoiding reinventing the wheel. The extensive experience and understanding of EduMentum’s facilitators in the field of improving school education systems has and will play a very important role in curating the core functions at Sanjhi Sikhiya.

With team EduMentum at Mantra4Change

The 9-day Immersion Programme designed exclusively for Sanjhi Sikhiya’s Punjab Youth Leaders Programme (PYLP) Fellows from June 18-26, 2018 by Team Mantra, was a highly effective learning camp that helped us deep dive into the fundamentals of Mantra’s work both at the organizational and operational level.

With Team MANTRA during the fellowship immersion programme

Along with aligning on the meaning of systemic change in education, our team members were also able to devise concrete next steps for our work in Punjab.

We are grateful to EduMentum for extending wholeheartedly their in-house support and guidance for program design and organization development, and more so for providing us with a forum to become a part of a supportive community of fellow like-minded social entrepreneurs chasing similar dreams!

By Chakshu and Gauri, Team Sanjhi Sikhiya

About Sanjhi Sikhiya

In 2017, Sanjhi Sikhiya was among the first six early-stage organization to join EduMentum, an incubation programme by Advaith Foundation in partnership with Mantra4Change. Based in Punjab, the organization is working towards its vision to build a cadre of youth leaders across Punjab who will develop into public problem solvers and work towards addressing systemic education issues with a sustainable approach.

They have also launched the Punjab Youth Leaders Program (PYLP) for this purpose. The organization is now closely working with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Punjab to realize this vision.